FIELD EFFICACY OF A MECHANICAL PUMP SPRAY FORMULATION CONTAINING 0.25-PERCENT FIPRONIL IN THE TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF FLEA INFESTATION ANDASSOCIATED DERMATOLOGICAL SIGNS IN DOGS AND CATS

Fipronil is a new insecticide and acaricide belonging to the phenylpyr azole family. Experimental studies have demonstrated the efficacy of a 0.25% fipronil mechanical pump spray formulation against fleas and ti cks in both dogs and cats. Two multicentric clinical trials were set u p to confirm the efficacy of this product under field conditions. The dog study was a positive control study. Flea infestation was qualitati vely assessed at the initial visit (treatment date) and at the final v isit (when reinfestation was observed or at the latest by 2 months aft er treatment). Sixty-one per cent and 21.5 per cent of dogs were free of fleas (''zero-flea stage'') at the end of the second month post-tre atment in the experimental and reference groups, respectively. The inc idence of pruritus and dermatological lesions was reduced in the two g roups but with significantly better results in the fipronil group. Six ty-one per cent of the cats treated with fipronil were also free of fl eas at the end of the second month post-treatment. Pruritus was also s ignificantly reduced.